


Unyielding Resonance

by AeroCat



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-04
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-03-28 23:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3874252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AeroCat/pseuds/AeroCat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even in her earliest memories, others had always called her patient.<br/>Even in her earliest memories, others had always called her strong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Even in her earliest memories, others had always called her patient. This trend continued far into her life, even once Rose Quartz had rescued her. (Recruited her, she reminded herself. She was taken in to do a job and nothing more.)

“I can’t believe you held your ground! If that jerk had spoken to me like that, I would have punched her out right there and then!” One of Rose’s new additions, a small gem whose arms never stopped moving - neither in combat nor conversation - remarked as the army recovered from a fight. “I wish I had even a tiny bit of your patience, wow!”

Sapphire smiled but said nothing in return. She had held her ground because she could not see the proper path. To act with uncertainty could mean living with the consequence of incorrect decisionmaking forever. Her “patience” was fear.

 

Even in her earliest memories, others had always called her strong. This trend continued far into her life, even once Rose Quartz had recruited her. (Rescued her, she argued. The job is what allowed her to grow.)

“That was amazing! Thank you so much. I didn’t know what to do...I truly wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t reacted so quickly during the ambush.” The small gem - whose presence was always there; quiet, her soft humming barely audible - remarked as they counted their living. “I wish I had even a fraction of your strength.”

Ruby grinned widely at the comment but said nothing in return. She had reacted quickly during the attack because it was the first thing that came to her mind. Her inability to focus, the anxiety that she couldn’t shake in times of tension - the most straightforward path was the easiest, and that often meant punching her way through problems. Her “strength” was fear.

And during that fight, outnumbered and surrounded, Ruby feared that she would no longer hear the soft melodies that kept her calm.

 

***

 

Later that night, the survivors rejoined their campmates. Their most recent hideout was a natural cave formation that they had thoroughly inspected for openings. There were two - both heavily guarded by the bulk of the troops. Rose Quartz, her assistant, and a few others were allowed some of the smaller rooms.

Ruby’s place was in the west entrance. She spent most of her time outside, training or sitting and looking at Earth’s moon at night. (Singular moon, something she still hadn’t adjusted to. The sky seemed so empty.) Inside, the hideout was alive with chatter: most gems discussing combat plans, but also some entertaining or relaxing. Rose Quartz accepted everyone into her army - “Everyone has a place here” was her mantra - and not all of the soldiers were fighters.

As Ruby made her way back inside, the crowd’s noise felt like a crushing wall. She listened closely to seek out what she knew she’d find. And just like that, the voices melted away. All but one.

That song. Ruby felt her stress dissipate - what a beautiful voice. Once a few blissful moments passed, her anxiety returned as she remembered her plan. After that close battle, Ruby was determined to speak to the other gem. During their quick encounter before she was unable to - not only was she at a loss for words, but it seemed disrespectful while the group was trying to figure out who they had lost. But now that she’d had time to think, she was ready, even if she couldn’t steady her hands.

Using the voice as a guide, she pushed through flocks of gems, going surprisingly deep into the cave structure. And not to the east, either. This surprised Ruby, as the other group was to guard the eastward entrance. The two rarely went on missions together, the fight had been a bit of an anomaly. If she wasn’t part of the eastern division, where was she staying?

Eventually the voice grew louder, not the faint hum from before but a steady volume. Ruby peaked into a small opening, only to find the blue gem sitting alone. This was a surprise - though Rose Quartz was kind to a fault, she couldn’t spare everyone private quarters. Most gems, Ruby included, had to share cramped spaces, leaving little privacy.

The opening to the hollowed-out room was low - Ruby wonder if it had been created for the singer. But in her excitement of discovering the other gem, she hadn’t noticed that the singing had stopped, or that she had accidentally wandered into the room.

“Hey! No no no,” Ruby panicked, waving her hands as if to push away her own intrusion. “Don’t stop! I just wanted to...to hear you better.”

The singing did not resume. Instead, the gem stared at Ruby, saying nothing.

“S...sorry,” Ruby choked out as she backed up to leave. Her thoughts cut off as she bumped into something soft. Ruby instinctively put up her hands, glove appearing on her left. When she saw who it was she let out a loud gasp and took a few steps back into the room before falling gracelessly to the ground.

Rose Quartz stood ducking through the entrance-way. Rather than take offense at Ruby pulling her weapon on her, she laughed softly as the red gem toppled to the ground. “Sapphire,” she spoke, peering into the room. “Did you make a friend? I’m so glad!” Before Ruby could correct her, Rose Quartz waved and exited, as quiet as when she appeared. If anyone was busy, it was her.

Scrambling to her feet and covering her face, Ruby tried to hide her embarrassment. “Argh I’m so stupid! Why did I even come in h-”

“You’re the one who saved me before.”

“Huh?” Ruby looked up at Sapphire, moving her arms from her face. “Uh, yeah. Sort of.”

Even with the noise of endless paths crowding the back of her mind, Sapphire smiled at the intruder. “Thank you. Again. I meant it when I said you saved me - you were the only one who could.”

“Oh come on, maybe you’re giving me too much credit,” Ruby chuckled nervously, not used to the praise.

Sapphire motioned for Ruby to sit down on what looked like a more comfortable portion of the cave’s floor. Ruby moved quickly to the spot, worried that if she thought about it too much she’d turn and run away instead. She wanted to properly thank Sapphire for the music, and if she left now she’d never be able to.

Sapphire considered explaining to Ruby about her visions of the future; about how she was certain she was going to die that day, the only potential path that she saw otherwise involving Ruby’s hand. Or about how being around the other gems caused her grief due to the near constant visions she would get from them, many of death. Instead she asked,

“Why are you here?”

Ruby took a deep breath, ready to expel everything she had come there to say.

“It’s beautiful!” She shouted with all her confidence.

A solid second passed between the two gems.

“T...the singing!” Ruby clarified, her gusto replaced with stammering. “I hear it from my post all the time, it’s...it’s really great. Calming, I guess. That’s all!”

The red gem slammed her hands on the ground, ready to stand and exit as quickly as possible.

“Wait,” Sapphire stopped her with a soft touch of the shoulder. “You said you came here to hear me better.”

Without waiting for a reply, the singer began her songs again.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Whatever Ruby had expected from her encounter, it certainly wasn’t the chance to hear Sapphire. Once her initial embarrassment subsided she stopped trying to hide the grin on her face. She was so close to the originator of the melodies that she had only been able to admire from afar! Here, every note was clear; every word definite.

Though she had no benchmark to compare how long Sapphire sang, it was interrupted all too soon by another visitor to the cave. Rose Quartz’s assistant ducked through the entrance - her limbs folding down to clear the entrance before unfurling to her full height. Ruby only knew her as a skilled combatant who almost never left Rose Quartz’s side; her techniques were graceful, but a bit frivolous in Ruby's opinion.

“Sapphire,” the assistant spoke while entering, her voice more than touched with a tone of annoyance. “Have you seen where Rose Quartz has run to n-”

She stopped mid-word when her eyes glanced over to Ruby. “And hello...other gem...I didn’t expect anyone else to be here.”

Ruby didn’t like the haughty look on the visitor's face, but she didn’t blame her for not knowing who she was. While Rose Quartz enjoyed mingling with her recruits when she had the time, her assistant didn’t follow suit. She functioned more as her leader’s shadow during times of socialization, at least around those Ruby kept company with. Yet she seemed to be familiar with Sapphire, which made the blue gem’s role even stranger. Why was such a small individual close to Rose Quartz?

For some reason that Ruby couldn’t piece together, Sapphire was smiling, as if the interruption was funny instead of a nuisance. The singer shook her head as she replied:

“Pearl, I’ve told you again and again - if anything was going to happen, I’d find you immediately. Promise. Give her some freedom to do as she wants. She commands us, not the other way around, remember?”

The assistant - Pearl - was far from content with this answer, and it manifested itself through her body language immediately. Ruby had never realized how expressive Rose Quartz’s assistant could be; she seemed so composed from afar.

Sapphire stifled a laugh over Pearl’s reaction - just as with her singing, the noise felt as if it reverberated straight through Ruby’s soul - before explaining that Rose Quartz had gone down the hall. “I’m not saying anything else about her whereabouts, Pearl,” she ended with this, just in case the taller gem felt the conversation wasn’t finished.

Discontent with this as well, Pearl exited in a huff. Ruby, upset that the assistant had the gall to interrupt Sapphire’s singing without so much as an apology, felt that familiar frustration build in her chest. “It’s Ruby, by the way!” The gem didn’t care much if Pearl knew her name, but yelling felt good.

"Yikes, what is her problem,” Ruby muttered to herself, still upset about the interruption.

"She just hasn’t adjusted well to being on this planet,” Sapphire replied, knowing fully well that Ruby wasn’t seeking an answer. “No one really wants to be here, but most of us don’t want to go home either. We all handle the feeling of being lost in different ways.”

“Yeah, well, she could be friendlier about it,” Ruby crossed her arms as she responded. “Hey, wait, you must know her pretty well then, right? And Rose Quartz too! How’d you get so close to them?”

The small smile on Sapphire’s lips fell, and she moved slightly so that she was no longer sitting to directly face the red gem.

“Isn’t it time you resume your position at the West Entrance, Ruby?”

This type of reaction was something Ruby was used to seeing. She stood up from her place on the floor.

“Oh - yeah.” She shifted her weight from foot to foot, bouncing in place before looking down at the singer. “Can I come back? If you’re not busy and stuff.”

“Sure.”

Ruby left in a hurry, jumping through the entrance and speeding back to her post. She hadn’t meant to pry, and it had seemed like a simple question. With every footstep she tried to escape the awful feeling that was threatening to catch up with her, but it followed her back to her place. It wasn’t until she got back that she began to wonder how Sapphire had known about her location.

She concluded that the singer was just observant, and may have seen her with others from the western group.

 

***

 

For some time, Rose Quartz’s rebellion succeeded in preventing their Homeworld from claiming Earth as it’s own. As their victories amassed, however, so did their infamy. With this, Homeworld began to view them as a serious threat. Their battles became harder to win, and their numbers shrunk.

During this time, Ruby fought. Even when they lost too many gems and had to compress their two groups into one, she noted that Sapphire was rarely on the battlefield. Though curious, she refrained from asking what she was doing instead: their friendship had stabilized, and Ruby didn’t want to mess up again. The two became skilled at establishing small-talk with each other, but Ruby dared not talk about anything too heavy and Sapphire never invited the topics herself.

Once again, their hideout had been discovered by Homeworld, and this meant they’d have to relocate. Rose Quartz had requested Sapphire’s help in discovering a new location, as she had every time before.

“Hello, everyone,” Rose began, using the same cheery tone as she had used for every meeting prior. The bulk of their warriors waited near one of Earth’s rivers, while the meeting was held deep in the woods, made up of Rose’s most trusted. Previously, the events had been loud, with Rose doing what she could to maintain peace while dozens of gems argued over decisions.

This meeting totaled to three gems: Sapphire, Pearl, and Rose. This was something Sapphire had been dreading since their numbers had begun to dwindle. Too many fights, too many traps - were they really all that remained of the council?

Pearl cleared her throat, scanning through the patched up holoboard she was holding. “Rose Quartz, I’ve spoken to everyone as you’ve requested. Morale is...low, unfortunately. But I’m certain things will look up soon! Isn’t that right, Sapphire?”

There it was. In the past, Sapphire was free from the decision-making, from the responsibility of her Sight. The council would vote based on what she knew. But now, with just the three left…

“We’d do best if we go north,” she said, purposely avoiding Pearl’s question. “They’re least likely to scout north due to the weather: it’s too stormy for the drones to see through. Though this path holds the most potential for success...if they intercept us...”

The group remained silent.

“Maybe we shouldn’t?” Sapphire asked, worried about being the one who makes the call.

Pearl pulled Sapphire into a tight hug, trying to calm Sapphire’s nerves as well as her own. “You’ve helped us so much so far - that Future Vision of yours is really something! We probably wouldn’t even be here without your help. You should be proud!”

Sapphire linked arms with Pearl but said nothing to her kind words. Yes, they were still there. Rose was safe and they’d demolished many of Homeworld’s bases. But how many deaths could have been averted if she had Seen further down those branching paths?

Picking up on Sapphire’s unease, Rose pulled the two into her own embrace. “No matter what happens, Sapphire, we’re so fortunate to have you here.” Breaking the hug, their leader then stood, concluding the meeting.

"I’ll gather everyone. We’ll begin the move north tonight.”


	3. Chapter 3

The weather northward proved to be atrocious, just as Sapphire had said. Rose had warned that it would be a difficult journey, but even her words couldn't keep her soldiers from feeling the brunt of the storm.

Though Ruby hated the way the rain and wind cut through her clothes, the trip did bring one perk with it: for whatever reason, Sapphire had hung back in formation, avoiding her usual location closer to Rose Quartz. Ruby took this time to catch up to her, and the two walked together.

“Hey,” the red gem yelled over the sound of the wind. “This blows! How are you holding up?”

Sapphire smiled back at her friend through her soaked bangs. Travelling in front had felt awkward today, especially since she knew that her presence wasn't going to improve their odds of a successful journey. She was glad to have someone to talk to; someone to distract her from scenarios she had no control over.

“It’s awful,” Sapphire agreed. "But if we continue to follow this ravine, shielded by the trees, it should lead us to shelter...that’s what Rose said, anyway.” The singer knew that it wasn't okay to blame the decision on others, but she still hadn't warmed up to the idea of calling the shots alone. Though there were two gems remaining on the council, they both placed blind trust into her. Before, there would usually be bickering among the voters - sometimes her Sight was shot down completely.

The two continued to speak as they moved on, and Sapphire continued to feel more at ease. They had nearly completed their journey, and she was starting to believe that they had dodged the slim chance of things going wrong.

Until a scream from the front punctuated through the sound of the rain.

Ruby was immediately alert, fists up and ready to protect her friend. But as she turned to face the singer, she saw nothing but several of her fellow fighters struggling with gems - their attire marked them as Homeworld ground troops. Sapphire was nowhere to be seen.

Slipping into panic mode, she pushed through several crowds of both friend and foe alike, calling Sapphire’s name. The ground was slick and difficult to move through, but her legs worked as if on autopilot, ignoring the sting of branch cuts and skinned knees. Visibility was poor and for all Ruby knew she was running right past her - she made sure to yell as loud as she could, challenging the storm to match her volume.

Eventually her unguided running brought her up through the woods and to the edge of the ravine. She stopped dead in her tracks, right before tree line ended, and ducked behind vegetation. Though she hadn't encountered Sapphire, she had found another troubling sight.

Near the edge of the ravine, Rose Quartz stood cornered by a large orange-yellow gem. Several of Rose’s escorts lay fallen around her, while others glittered as shards around her feet. Pearl was positioned in front of Rose. Though she had her spear aimed at the enemy it was obvious that she was badly injured, more kneeling than standing. Rose’s sword also pointed towards the huge gem, posed over Pearl - likely drawn to protect her assistant as much as herself.

“Is this really what has the Diamond Authority so nervous? You should be honored that they sent me - Jasper - to handle you. That means they actually thought you were a skilled fighter.” The huge gem sneered at Rose as she spoke. “There’s been a lot of talk about you from all the hopeless weaklings back home.”

Ruby held her ground but was surprised to hear this - though the army had done well, she knew that they were simply a thorn in the Authority's side. She fought for Rose out of respect and gratitude - Ruby's future hadn't looked very good before she met her leader. Were others really inspired back in Homeworld by their actions?

Jasper flexed her fingers and a helmet appeared over her head before rushing in to attack Rose.

“It’ll crush them when I report that you’re dead!”

Ruby sprung from her hiding space and decked the gem in the face mid-motion, landing on her feet as Jasper fell from the blow. It only took the fallen gem a moment to recover, and her expression was more of shock than pain.

“That was a good hit, twerp,” she spit the words out as she felt her jaw. “The last hit you’ll ever get to make.”

Still furious over everything - Sapphire’s disappearance, the attack on her leader, and the awful weather - Ruby lunged forward to prove Jasper wrong. She hung in the air for a second, punch ready - but there was a flash of blue, and a hard force pushed her violently to the left. Her feet cleared the ground completely, hovering above the ravine. Turning to see if Jasper had punched her, all she saw were all three gems - Jasper, Rose, and Pearl - with the same surprised expression, watching her as she fell.

A yell escaped her lips as she realized that the bottom of the ravine was very far away. She tucked her hand close to her chest, knowing it was going to be a painful drop but too scared to do much else about it. The shock shot through her whole body as she connected with the ground; a rough landing was an understatement. She lay there, unable to get her bearings and covered in mud. But then there was a tug at her left hand, which is all it took to set her into a frenzy again.

This time, her cry of protest was cut short, as she realized that Sapphire was inspecting the gem on her left palm.

“Sapphire! Where...where were you? What…”

As the red gem’s vision came into focus and she looked closely, she noticed that Sapphire was also more than slightly scuffed up and full of dirt. That flash of blue…

“Wait...did _you_ push me?!” Ruby stood up shakily, snatching her hand back and running to the cliff face. She stared up, looking for any way to get back to the top, which was barely visible. “Why did you do that? We gotta get back up there!” Ruby was surprised that Sapphire had pushed her off so easily; the fighter's reaction time was second to none, yet she had barely seen the blue gem. But the idea of her leader cornered took higher priority, and she began to try to climb back up without much luck.

“She’s in trouble Sapphire!”

Though Ruby seemed angry with her, Sapphire remained in her spot, arms crossed. She'd rather her friend be angry and alive than dead, something the singer knew would have happened with utmost certainty.

“I couldn't let you get yourself killed," she replied, not wanting to get into a deep explanation. "And there’s no use trying to climb that either, it’s far too steep.”

The red gem couldn't believe that someone else was doubting her abilities. “Are you serious?! That's why you did it? I had that fight!” 

“No, you didn't.”

Ruby punched the ledge before throwing her hands up in the air. “Whatever! Even if I didn't have it, at least Rose would be safe! She's why we're here! What's the point in being okay if she's in danger!?” She began to walk away bitterly, following the cliff face. "This is stupid, I'm finding a way back and finishing that fight."

Sapphire waited a moment before following. She wasn't sure that Rose would be okay, but knowing Ruby was in danger had caused her to act without thinking. It was foolish, and Ruby was right: it might have cost them all of their hard work. But with their current numbers, Sapphire wasn't sure if they could have ever won it anyway. Though it was selfish and irrational, Sapphire afforded herself the thought regardless: Rose had a chance, Ruby did not. What was the point in continuing the fighting if her friend was gone?

The journey was quiet. Ruby’s anger quickly subsided into sniffling, the only noise besides the weakening rain. The frustrated gem would stop once in a while, trying to see if a new portion of the sheer, wet cliff face was climbable. Sapphire humored these stops, taking that time to try to get a grasp on potential futures in hopes of figuring out what to do. Though many of these glimpses involved Rose Quartz - a sight that made Sapphire feel better about her choice - the repeated stopping and going motion was making it too difficult to concentrate.

“Ruby, let's stop for a minute. We're walking around aimlessly”

The red gem kept walking.

“Please, Ruby.”

Ruby plopped to the ground with an audible sigh, hiding her head in her arms. Sapphire sat next to her and began to concentrate, hands near her face. Tracing paths was much easier when she wasn't in motion. She could hear Ruby squirm in place, the fighter not used to sitting idle. (The only times Sapphire could recall Ruby staying still was whenever she sang for her.) As expected, it didn't take long for the red gem to break the silence.

“Hey, Sapphire?”

“Yes?” Sapphire responded but didn't refocus her vision, still seeking out where to go.

“...are you okay? You fell too, right?” Sapphire felt a nudge on her right arm, and she broke her concentration to look at her friend.

She offered her hand out, smiling as Ruby examined her palm.

“I’m okay, Ruby.”

 

***

 

The rain had cleared completely by the time Sapphire had a plan. During her searching her hand was never returned to her, and it instead remained nestled within her companion's. Though she had thought this had kept Ruby calm, when she refocused her physical sight and gazed back at the red gem she was instantly hit with a question:

“Do you think I’m weak?" Ruby's voice was shaken, and Sapphire could tell she had been waiting the whole time to ask this. "Is that why you did that?”

“What? No, I…”

Sapphire sighed. Even if she was worried about Ruby's reaction, it would be easier to just explain herself. There was no use keeping it a secret anymore.

“I think I know how to get back up. Come on.” Sapphire stood up, helping Ruby to her own feet as she did.

“Let’s have a talk.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sapphire's hand positions while using Future Vision are the same as Garnet's in Marble Madness:  
> http://40.media.tumblr.com/cd1af35d0e7a8205f49260074a4a77a1/tumblr_no69dybd6i1r05as3o1_1280.png


	4. Chapter 4

Ruby had no clue why Sapphire considered sitting in silence a good way to make a plan. But she didn’t make a fuss, because the singer hadn’t pulled her hand away.

Though she was still upset, the contact had caused her stress to lessen. Sapphire’s hand was smaller than her own, and lacked the calluses that Ruby couldn’t be bothered to reform away. The singer always seemed to have a subtle strength about her, and her hand was no different: it was lithe without feeling fragile.

Even with this opportunity, the silence gave the fighter time to think about what had happened. She still worried about Sapphire’s perception of her abilities. Why had she sounded so confident that Ruby would have lost that battle? Sure, Ruby was small, but she had spent her entire existence working to be the best fighter she could be. (This was partially out of necessity per Homeworld order, and partially because it helped shake away the tension she felt.) That gem had been huge, but she’d taken down others like her before.

When Ruby verbalized her concern, she found herself being pulled to her feet by Sapphire. As they walked, their hands remained linked. Ruby made no effort to detach them.

“When I say you would have lost, I mean it honestly. Not because I thought your opponent was better, or that you couldn’t handle her. Besides,” she gave Ruby’s hand a slight squeeze as she spoke. “I know what you can do. Your skill is unmistakable.”

Ruby’s uncontrollable grin returned as her face flushed from the praise, and she turned her head to hide it from the other gem. Of everyone on this planet, Ruby valued Sapphire’s words the most.

Sapphire was glad for the fighter’s reaction, as it made her seem more like her normal self. “I said you would have lost because it was true. No matter what scenario I investigated, every result ended with you fragmented, unfixable. Not as some type of imaginative worry, but as a true future.”

The singer wasn’t sure if she was doing much more than confusing her companion, but she kept on elaborating, hoping that it would click. “That’s why I’m here, and that’s why I requested we stop. I can explore potential routes that time will take. A type of Future Vision, you could say. I couldn’t find any future where you were safe, and I panicke-”

“Wait!” Ruby interrupted, her eyes lighting up from her previous - and almost comical - pensive look. “Future Vision...so, you can see the future? That’s so cool! Do we win?!”

Sapphire pulled her hand away to rub at her face in frustration. “It doesn’t work that way, not in the least! This is why I hate telling anyone. What I see are places that time _could_ turn to, and never that far ahead. My predictions aren’t always the true path, yet everyone relies on me as though I'm the answer.”   
  
The red gem had only begun to spend time with Sapphire recently, but it took little time for her to learn that the singer rarely raised her voice. Instead, her emotions wore solely on her face, which she hid from the world through long bangs. Even so, Ruby could detect the slightest shift in Sapphire’s tone, and the way her mouth barely curled into a snarl. She had never seen the gem this upset before.

“How many of our fellow gems have died because I choose the wrong path?”

Ruby thought that now would be a good time to stop opening her mouth, so she walked silently next to the blue gem. But thinking about what she would do in Sapphire’s situation soon became unbearable, and she couldn’t stand to see her friend upset. Leaning in, she slung her arm around the singer’s back and patted at her shoulder.

“That does sound hard. But you said there were a ton of options, right?”

Sapphire moved into the one-armed hug, grateful that the fighter was able to empathize when many before her hadn’t.

“Yes,” she replied, trying to find the words to describe the feeling. “As if it were a branching river. To some branches, the water flows with power - a more natural progression of events. But there are smaller paths too, which with the proper nudging can become our reality.”

“Was pushing me off a ledge one of the options you saw? Because that option hurt,”  the fighter joked before realizing Sapphire might not be the mood.

“No, that…I just reacted without thinking…”

“Hey,” Ruby smiled before interlacing her hand with Sapphire’s again. The red gem would never be able to handle the pressure of knowing actions before they happened, and she suddenly understood why Sapphire seemed to have a reserved sturdiness about her. The singer was even stronger than she had thought.  “Sounds like you can see a lot of scary stuff. But you didn’t know what would happen if you pushed me, and you did it anyway!

“Your Sight doesn’t control you, it’s just an amazing power you have. You don’t have to hide in it’s shadow, just do whatever you want. You choose your own future!”

Sapphire, whose abilities had always been someone else’s - first, the Authority’s, and then Rose’s - was surprised to hear this. Yes, Ruby was being optimistic. Knowing you could have prevented catastrophe was always stressful, and nothing was going to change that. Even so, she kept the words close, just as when Rose had remarked that her Sight was “unique”, rather than the Homeworld’s choice of “useful.”

Though the blue gem didn’t respond to Ruby’s statement, there was a noticeable lightness in her step.

 

***

 

Their walk had led them to a crude stairway cut directly into the cliff-face itself. Humans were the only animals on Earth that the gems had seen construct anything this “advanced.” While their creations were laughable at best, Rose Quartz adored them, always going on about how similar their bipedal structure was to their own default projection.

In a way, Sapphire had wondered if Rose had absorbed some of human culture as her own. Her energy, her lack of reserve when it came to showing affection - these were all very different than typical gem methods and military protocols. Some recruits disliked this when they first arrived, but in the end they felt meaningful to the cause, instead of disposable. But this also meant death hit harder than under gem rule, where outward emotional response interfered with efficiency and was punishable at worst, looked down on at best.

Once past the stairway and into the room within the cliff, they discovered something very out of place and very inhuman.

Ruby’s eyes opened in surprise. “Is that a _warp pad_?”

The discovery confused Sapphire as well. She knew the area was safe from enemy control. When they were attacked, it was supposed to be an interception of their movements. Jasper’s group had trailed and then moved ahead of them from the south. Even if Homeworld was now aware of their new location, they couldn’t have established a base so close so quickly - warp pads took days to construct.

As the two searched the room, they discovered stockpiles of weaponry. The whole thing made Ruby nervous.

“What do you think they’re going to do with this? We gotta find Rose and tell her, Sapphire. Fast.”

Sapphire agreed and pointed out a second stairway, it’s smooth steps obviously of gem construction. This stairway would lead to the top, she explained, allowed them to get back up to where the others were.

As Ruby listened, the warp pad whirled to life. For the second time that day she was grabbed by Sapphire. She was gentler this time at least, and Ruby’s head collided with Sapphire’s shoulder instead of the floor as the two crouched under one of the tables. The fighter mentally listed “superspeed” as another one of her friend’s powers, now understanding why she hadn’t seen Sapphire the first time it had happened.

Two pairs of feet were visible from their hiding place, and Ruby moved in front of the singer. Though the action was meant to be courageous, the fighter was shaking slightly at the idea of being caught in such a small space.

“How do our supplies look?” The first gem asked, a light blue but otherwise unidentifiable from just her feet.

“Great,” the other replied. “And I’ve got a few thousand gems ready. With luck, we’ll be able to win this. Setting up warp pads all over the planet will give us a heavy advantage, and we have some of Homeworld’s best tacticians and fighters. They all believe in our goal.”

The light blue gem grabbed something off of the top of Ruby and Sapphire’s table (Sapphire swore that Ruby wouldn’t be able to stay quiet at this point, and thought they were both dead) before returning to the warp pad with the other. Her voice faded as they warped away, but her last words were clear:

“Now, we just need to find Rose Quartz.”


	5. Chapter 5

Once the two unknown gems had exited the room, signified by the warp pad’s silence, Ruby started to make her own noises. It was a long, drawn out cry of worry, very close in pitch to a whine.

“T...thousands! Argh, why did we ever think they’d just give up on this place!? We knew how big Homeworld’s army was, how’d we think we ever had this?”

Sapphire moved out from under the table, getting a good look of the room while Ruby fretted from her hiding spot.

“All we can do is report to Rose. She’ll decide on how to proceed, likely with my help.” Sapphire's voice barely projected the aversion she felt about the idea. Ruby crawled out from the table, trying to keep her mind on the goal - _find Rose find Rose find Rose_ \- while not worrying about what comes after.

The singer offered her hand out to Ruby. “I think I know where they are,” she said as she motioned towards the stairway leading up. “Shall we go?”

Ruby eyed the hand warily.

“I don’t know if I can handle that again…”

“I’ll be careful. Don’t worry, I’ve got you.”

Unable to turn down the request when she worded it like that, the fighter grimaced as she grabbed her hand.

 

***

 

Rose Quartz’s camp was shielded by dense foliage. Several of the survivors had hacked away at the underbrush to create a place for everyone to sit. There were about forty left.

Sapphire had been true to her word: the trip had been smoother, and she took care to help Ruby to a proper stop. When they appeared in the camp, the survivors raised their weapons, all of them getting between Rose.

It only took a moment for them to identify the two, and Pearl emerged from the group to greet them. She still looked exhausted; it was obvious that her energy hadn’t fully replenished. But Rose was an incredible healer, and it was no doubt due to her help that Pearl was on her feet.

The assistant scooped Sapphire into her arms. “Oh, I’m _so_ glad you’re okay!” Sapphire returned the embrace, but Ruby didn’t miss the hesitance. The red gem knew the two were close, but there were more to the words than simply being glad for Sapphire’s life. It was also that they hadn’t lost their insight into the future, and it was then that Ruby began to understand Sapphire’s plight. For many, her skills dwarfed her worth as a gem when compared to that of a tool. Even away from Homeworld, she couldn’t escape this.

“We’re okay,” Sapphire confirmed. “But we need to talk to Rose Quartz in private, immediately.”

Pearl’s face twisted into worry. Putting Sapphire down so that she could walk, the two began to move towards Rose; but the assistant stopped, confused, when Ruby also followed.

Seeing her pause, Sapphire insisted. “Ruby was with me. We both report our findings.”

Though Pearl looked as though she would argue for a moment, one glance around the camp changed her mind. Their structure had already been destroyed; there was no use arguing for petty rules. Not anymore.

The group of four moved away from the camp to talk, but only until they were certain they were out of earshot. With so few of them left, Rose wanted to make sure they were near if something happened.

Ruby sat with the group, knees pulled up to her chest. She had never participated in a private group with Rose before, and didn’t know what to say.

The blue gem had, however, so she began. “Ruby and I discovered what we believe is a location for Homeworld armament storage. Along with the supplies, there is a warp pad. The warp is operational - we saw them utilize it.”

Thinking about this freaked Ruby out. “They said they had warps set up all over the planet!” The fighter exclaimed, unable to keep quiet when such a pressing matter was at hand. “And that they had _thousands_ of gems ready to fight!”

This is all Sapphire needed to hear to understand why Rose had hand-selected her Council. Panic is infectious, and in a larger group Ruby’s outburst would have wrecked their rational thinking. Pearl’s mouth hung open in shock; the singer figured this was from the lack of meeting etiquette in front of Rose just as much as it was from the awful news.

But Rose didn’t seem to mind the yelling. Instead, she seemed deep in thought about the information.

“Tonight, we will wait here. Sapphire,” the leader looked at the blue gem, her expression pleading. “I know it’s a difficult request, but if you could take the night to meditate on what we have before us…”

Sapphire nodded, already expecting this.

Ruby, however, had bolted up during this exchange, staring into the trees beyond their group. Her fists crackled with electricity, a trick she hadn’t been able to utilize during the bad weather.

“Who’s there! I know you’re over there!”

Several figures slowly emerged from the dark, but they weren’t the enemy gems Ruby expected. Slow moving, soft, and harmless - several humans came into focus.

Humans. These were less advanced than those they had encountered in the past. Rose guessed that they were a nomadic group, probably a small family. Five in all, they peered at the gems from behind trees. While the other gems tried to ignore them, Rose’s eyes lit with excitement as she tried to beckon them closer, speaking in several variations of human language as she did.

Pearl rolled her eyes, shrugging as if to say “here we go again.” Sapphire didn’t think it was a good use of their time to interact with the locals when they had a war at hand, but she accepted her leader’s decision. While interacting with the aliens, Rose hastily concluded that she and Pearl would discuss the issue that night, and then ended the meeting.

With that, the four gems and five humans all returned to the camp. Rose’s soldier’s looked skeptical, but did not voice their thoughts. If Rose Quartz - a genius in battle and a guardian of the downtrodden - wanted to spend time with the locals, it wasn’t their place to protest.

The temperature was dropping, and a few of the more free-spirited gems joined the humans in making a fire. While the gems didn’t require the heat, Rose had explained, the humans did - they’d freeze otherwise. Pearl showed concern over the smoke that gave away their location, but eventually it was decided that Homeworld had no interest in human interaction - the fire would not be a problem.

Sapphire and Ruby huddled near the flame. They didn’t need the warmth, but it was pleasant to be near; plus, the fighter enjoyed watching the way it flickered. Sapphire spent her time hard at work, seeking out what could happen to them and what the best options could be.

Or she tried to. A small vision kept interfering with her search. At first she tried to ignore it; time was a strange beast, and some branches led to silly or outrageous conclusions. But as she continued to search, she felt her face grow warm at what she found - stronger than the heat from the flame. In every path, Ruby acted first. 

It was obvious. It had always been, the link between her and Ruby an anchor for them both. That bond, along with their shared devotion to Rose, who had removed them from the shackles of Homeworld rule;

it kept them going.

Ruby created an audience to perform for, and someone to speak to as a fellow gem; making Sapphire feel she was worth more than her imperfect Sight. Sapphire created the music that calmed the painful energy in Ruby’s limbs, replacing it with a channeled force; as well as an entirely different type of tightness in the fighter’s chest.

As the singer considered her options for the situation at hand, she broke her concentration on her Sight and looked over at the fighter. Ruby was lost in thought, undoubtedly struggling with potential futures of her own. Sapphire watched the light flicker on the face of a companion who truly believed in her, and she remembered the fighter’s words:

“You choose your own future.”

Paths forgotten, Sapphire touched Ruby’s shoulder. The red gem turned in surprise. As Sapphire pulled Ruby close, she watched the fighter’s face flush brighter from the proximity and realization.

Not Homeworld's, not the Rebellion's, and not her Sight's - it was Sapphire’s lips that kissed Ruby’s own.   


	6. Chapter 6

Sapphire meant everything to Ruby. This had become increasingly true as they had gotten to know each other, but the singer's unwillingness to discuss personal matters had made the fighter fearful of expressing her feelings. After their conversation in the ravine, however, Ruby was beginning to think it was worth revealing. Plus, with their numbers so low it was likely that they would die anyway - what was the harm in explaining how she felt?

Still, as the red gem watched the fire burn she was unable to shake her worry. What if Sapphire didn't feel the same way? Homeworld didn't dislike romantic expression in their community, but considered it to be a functional bonding between gems to better their roles. It was only when she met Rose Quartz, an older gem, that Ruby learned that it hadn't always been that way. Romance use to have a far more emotional meaning. As far as Ruby was concerned, that was the real way to describe it. Sapphire may have had a calming effect on Ruby, but her interest extended far beyond that: without the blue gem, it was as if a bit of herself was missing.

A tap on her shoulder jostled her out of her debate on whether or not to tell the singer. Turning, she found Sapphire was close - closer than she had ever been before.

With so little space between the two, Ruby could barely make out the singer's eyes from behind her hair. They were bright; beautiful, even. The fighter leaned in with hesitance as the singer drew near, unsure if she was reading Sapphire's cues correctly.

_Is she trying to kis-_

_Woah!_

Ruby's arms flailed in the air before barely settling on Sapphire's waist. As the singer pulled her close, Ruby did the same, closing the distance between them. The kiss was brief, but neither broke the hold they had. The fighter set her head down on Sapphire's shoulder, eyes wide and trying to catch up with what had just happened.

The silence was deafening: Ruby had to say something. Endless questions and remarks bounced through her head.  Some, such as "why did you do that?" needed no explanation; she could already guess the answer. Others, such as simply saying "I love you" seemed too forward. But the quiet was killing her and her mouth opened without thinking:

"I...I don't ever want to lose you," Ruby stammered with all of the courage she had, blushing once the words hit her own ears.

"I know," Sapphire replied, smiling into the fighter's hair. "Don't disappear on me, either."

Eventually the singer had to pull away to focus on using her Future Vision, trying to finish Rose's request. As before, the two held hands, unwilling to part completely.

  

***

 

Sapphire was able to discover a small opening. It was hazy and confusing, but she was certain it wouldn't change course in a way that could become disadvantageous.

If they went back to the warp in the early morning, the two enemies from before would be there: both injured and one already retreated into her gem. When Sapphire reported this news to Rose, Pearl theorized that they could capture the two. Forty on one would be easy to work with if they caught the Homeworld fighter off-guard.

"It's strange though,” Sapphire added, “in no future do I see them fighting back. The whole thing is very unclear, but our group should be safe."

Rose agreed to the plan and then suggested Pearl announce her idea for helping their battles, even with their small numbers. She quietly requested that Pearl leave the information about there being thousands of Homeworld warriors out of the conversation: she'd bring this up to her troops at another time.

And so, Rose's rebellion of forty strong were gathered together, while the humans watched with curious eyes.

"Gems," the leader spoke, quieting the chatter from the masses. "I've gathered you to let you know that our fight has become even tougher. Yes, we've lost many. But you're stronger than anyone else I've ever met, and I've met countless warriors. While speaking to Pearl about our situation, she brought up some information that may bring the odds back in our favor."

Rose motioned for Pearl to begin. Next to their leader Pearl seemed so small, but she spoke with determination, confidence, and a love of the topic. Perhaps a bit too much so: she was rather long-winded.  

"Throughout gem history,” she opened with distinction, “we have won countless battles using an ability that the Diamond Authority has collectively deemed unnecessary. All factions of the Authority believe in strength in sheer numbers, each gem warrior powerful, focused, and ultimately disposable.

"Rose Quartz believes that it is not numbers and obedience, but _unity_ that brings us success. And because of this, we are now stronger - and closer - than ever before. Everyone here is a friend. I believe the technique that the Authority considers outdated and inefficient will be anything but to us.

“I'm talking, of course, about fusion!"

The crowd reacted with hesitance. Fusion was, as Pearl had said, an outdated battle tactic. Younger gems barely knew what it even was, as it had been phased out of Compulsory Learning altogether. Pearl didn't seem to notice the poor reception.

"Most of you likely already know how it works - it's simple to understand, complicated to master. But allow me to explain for those who do not know about it. When two gems have a similar frequency for their physical projection and are close enough for those waves to overlap, this causes their physical forms to merge and shift, creating a new form unique to both.

“The creation of an entirely new entity in this way is simply beautiful! But the Authority dislikes it, as it requires incredible trust and cooperation from the involved parties. Any slight upset can shift the frequency just enough to break the fusion.

“For this reason, compatibility is of utmost importance. This will show itself visually: the smoother the fusion, the more it will closely resemble our default forms, though they always have some irregularities. Now, naturally, we simply do not fuse just from close proximity; it requires cooperation, focus, and synchronization. This is customarily achieved through dancing."

It was around this point that Ruby began to zone out. She didn’t snap back until she heard Rose’s voice behind her, suggesting the two gems try it. Glancing around, several other gems were attempting the same; once in a while Pearl would approach a group, giving them advice.

Ruby looked at Sapphire.

"Should we?"

Sapphire looked at her, trying to hide her concern: she was already aware of the results.

"Alright."

A few of the warriors were able to fuse. Pearl was right: some only had extra limbs, but others had very bizarre proportions, very unlike a typical gem body.

The humans were having a field day with this display. Two even rose to their feet and tried to dance, as if it would work for them too. Another had the guts to hold her hand out to Rose Quartz, who giggled and spun the human. Rose patted at the human's curls when nothing happened. The human walked away, dejected but her face bright with adrenaline.

The two gems held the other's hands, trying to imitate what others were doing around them. Sapphire led. Pearl was right: there was a very strange feeling as they moved, definitely not something a gem from the Homeworld army would be used to. It was different than when they kissed but with the same intensity, the same intimacy.

Ruby knew she was out of step, and worried. Sapphire knew the fighter was out of step, and didn't worry: Ruby's movements were erratic, but they had their own logic to them. She tried to match her as well as she could, though their movements kept changing pace.

The fighter's fingers became distant from herself - they were hers and no longer hers, merging in a bright light with Sapphire's own. The feeling of this loss of control spread up her arm and she became startled, falling to the ground and losing the connection.

The red gem rubbed at her eyes while Sapphire helped her back up to her feet.

"L...let's try again!" The fighter said, doubt heavy in her voice.

Sapphire shook her head and planted a small kiss on Ruby's face. "Let's try again, but not now, not here."

 

***

  

Pearl spent the rest of the night gazing at the stars, occasionally turning to look inquisitively at one of the humans when they snored. When Rose joined her, she began to point out which ones were visible from Earth.

Rose listened for a while, respecting the fact that her assistant definitely missed traveling.

“I’m glad to have you on my side, Pearl. I can never say this enough. I know being here is hard for you.”

“Oh! Well,” Pearl responded uncertainly, her voice growing meek. “I do it because you love this place.”

Rose smiled at her friend, painfully aware of the meaning between Pearl’s words. She glanced into the night sky, wondering if she could see the planet that was no longer hers from the impossible distance.

“Homeworld is so different than before, Pearl. Here, I see so much potential.”

Rose looked over at the sleeping humans.

“We’ve lost our planet - what our planet used to be - because of our own hands. We can’t let Homeworld take theirs too.”

 

***

 

In the morning they parted ways with the humans before traveling back to the strange cave. Ruby was invited to travel near the front with the Council by Rose, who had noticed Sapphire and Ruby's closeness. It was a very weird feeling to be so close to their leader, but the fighter was glad she didn’t have to leave the singer’s side.

As Sapphire predicted, waiting around the warp with their weapons ready was the proper move. The light blue gem materialized, injured and on her knees, cradling the other’s gem in her hands. But as the Rose's soldiers advanced on the enemy, Sapphire began to think again of the events she had seen.

The light blue gem’s quick surrender, lack of malice; and suddenly Sapphire saw even further, with more gems than she had ever seen before rushing into battle, Rose's emblem on each of their uniforms.

Sapphire jumped forward, holding out her hands to stop her teammates.

"Wait!" She yelled, glad that they were quick to back off. Ruby stood in the group, arms at her face and nearly in tears at the sight of so many weapons aimed at Sapphire. "I was wrong, they're not our enemy!"

The light blue gem looked beyond Sapphire and at Rose with relief. "Rose Quartz! I'm so glad we've found you. I run the Crystal Brigade. We've been waiting in the shadows, but we were just discovered by Homeworld's forces; they're angry. Back home is chaos, and they're using that as a reason to launch a full-scale attack on your army. Our group, we've collected thousands of gems; many defected from Homeworld's own forces.

"Rose Quartz, please let us fight for you!"


	7. Chapter 7

The Crystal Brigade: a secret movement that had grown from the seeds of unrest due to Homeworld’s treatment of it’s inhabitants. They followed Rose Quartz’s principles in the hopes of limiting the Diamond Authority’s iron grip of power on their planet. Though not all believed in the goal of defending Earth, many were driven by her kindness. And even if they didn't care for Earth's protection, they all agreed: rather than conquering other planets for resources and constantly expanding, shouldn't Homeworld focus first on the problems back home?

The gems that had lived before the Authority's shift from four members to three often told stories to the younger gems. These stories were of a different Homeworld, with each tale leading to Pink Diamond’s refusal to agree on the other’s rules and her eventual demotion. In retrospect, her demotion had only harmed the Authority's grasp.

They should have killed her.

Rose Quartz and her forty gems (now her closest warriors from amongst thousands) surveyed what they had inherited from the Crystal Brigade. They found weapons straight from the Authority’s finest stock; met some of their brightest tacticians and sturdiest warriors. Best of all, in Rose’s eyes, were the warps: places located in discrete locations on the planet, where magic ran freely and bases for the Brigade had been established. If she could lure the battles to these places, damage to the planet’s flora and fauna could be minimized.

It was in one of these locations - the Lunar Sea Spire - that Rose met her new warriors.

Within the spire, they gathered in a large room equipped with an audio amplifier. Rose Quartz  stood on the main platform with Pearl at her side. Ruby and Sapphire were near as well, though Ruby had slowly inched herself behind the blue gem. The fighter did everything she could to not fidget, as Pearl had mentioned that looking professional was very important for this announcement. It difficult to stay still with so many faces looking up at them and with Sapphire so close.

Rose began her speech, her voice as pleasantly soothing as always. For many in the crowd, this was the first time they had heard the fabled rebellion leader speak, and the room was completely silent with the exception of her voice. In her speech, she detailed how grateful she was to have so many gems on her side and promised to know each and every one of them. She explained their goal: how they were to defend this planet so that it's beings could grow as they choose, free of Homeworld influence. And she closed her announcement with these words:

"We are more than soldiers; each of you are as unique and important as the other. The Authority would consider you a brigade, but we are held down by them no longer. From this point on, we are the Crystal Gems: guardians of this planet and all it’s living creatures!”

The roar of the crowd was the loudest noise that Sapphire had ever heard. In that moment, her Sight forgotten, the blue gem felt a feeling of hope wash over her.

This unified cry seemed to affect her companion as well. Ruby’s eyes welled with tears and, unable to maintain her stoic position any longer, she wiped vigorously at her face to clear her vision before before pulling Sapphire into a tight hug.

“I can’t believe it! Look at them all! Sapphire, we’ve got this!”

Sapphire glanced over at Pearl, but even she didn’t respond to Ruby’s break in formality: the assistant was too busy doing her best to keep a straight face while being overwhelmed by the same feelings. Her arms were pulled tightly to her chest and she occasionally sniffled, mouth curling at the edges despite her attempts to stop it. Though so different in personality, at that moment Pearl and Ruby shared the same expression.

Hope. Sapphire doubted their leader minded their reactions: it was, after all, what they were fighting for.

 

***

 

That night was a first in a long while that the gems were able to properly rest their minds. Though Rose initially refused the offer, the newer warriors insisted she take a break in the Lunar Sea Spire. Once Sapphire confirmed that it was unlikely to be a trap, Rose allowed her Council, as well as anyone else who felt they needed it, to take quarters.

The two small gems choose a room together, an unspoken decision that seemed obvious to both. It was sparse, but out of the wind, rain and cold. A small couch, something they hadn’t seen in ages, sat at one of the four walls, the Authority’s emblem defaced on it’s surface. There was also a table to conduct work at, equipped with a holoboard for alerting the room’s occupants of emergencies.

The moment the door shut, Ruby howled in happiness, leaping into the air before scooping up Sapphire and giving her a twirl.

“Sapphire!" The fighter continued to laugh as she put the singer down, grin spreading from ear to ear. "Ah, it's just...I just expected us to be dead! But we've got a chance again. Let’s see them take out the Crystal Gems now!” Ruby threw a few punches into the air to prove her point.

Her enthusiasm was contagious. Sapphire moved up behind Ruby, gently grabbing her arms before guiding her to the couch. “Rose brought us here so that we could finally take some time away from battles, away from running.” The singer said this as she sidled up close to Ruby, nuzzling at her neck. "I'd say we should take her advice."

And so the two spent some well-deserved time alone, talking to each other about battles and telling stories with more honesty than they had ever previously.

This continued until they got on the topic of Rose's rebellion, when Sapphire felt a pang of worry.

"Ruby," she asked as her companion played with the ends of her long hair. "Do you think this is going to become a problem?"

"What is?"

"Us. We're here for Rose, for her cause. But now it's more than that: in battle, if you and her were both in danger..." The singer trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Ruby thought hard about this.

"No way is it a problem! Not for me. With you here, I want to work twice as hard. For Rose, and you, and everyone! It just means I’ve got to stay out of trouble, is all.”

Sapphire considered the fighter’s response. The expression she wore showed she meant what she said; though if the singer was to believe Ruby’s stories from moments before, the fighter was a magnet for trouble.

"You're right. We're not just protecting each other, we're protecting Rose as well. But if we both defend her, perhaps we can keep each other safe at the same time. "

"Right! The two of us, we're stronger together."

 

***

 

Though relieved, Pearl was not celebrating as the others were. Echos of what the Brigade’s previous commander had said kept coming back to her: “Back home is chaos, and they're using that as a reason to launch a full-scale attack on your army.” And the previous commander and her own assistant had both been injured, having escaped a fight with Homeworld; the Authority knew, and that meant they’d move quickly.

When she went to check if Rose needed anything, she found her leader surrounded by papers and glowing screens; making plans for the organization of troops and formations in battle.

Though Rose was giving her army time to rest and get use to the newness of the change to their forces, she wasn't affording herself the same luxury. If Rose was not at ease herself, Pearl thought, none of them should be.

Several earth days passed in the Spire. During that time, introductions were made, warriors split into battalions. At this time, Ruby and Sapphire were not placed into a group. Instead, Ruby was officially assigned a spot in the Council. As before, the Council would stay with Rose during missions.

When she had first been invited into Rose’s army, Sapphire had been a passive member, purely there for her Future Vision; her Sight used to aid Pearl's strategy and help her with on-the-fly changes in tactics. Ruby had always been a foot soldier. But Rose saw that both gems had more to offer, especially together, and she wanted to foster that growth.  

The Crystal Gem’s first mission as a force of thousands: remove the power device in a nearby Kindergarten. The bulk of their army would function as a decoy, taking out Homeworld's injectors, while Rose and her Council would obtain the power supply from a spiraling maze beneath the Kindergarten's surface. Due to the security measures placed within the Kindergarten’s main structure, the maze’s halls only allowed for a few gems to fit through; they were designed to be narrow.

The four gems entered the structure with little trouble, as the guards had abandoned their post when the fighting broke out. Leaving a few warriors to protect the entrance, the Council made their way through the passageways.  These halls, as they had expected,  were cramped, dimly lit, and damp.

Pearl trailed her hand down the side of one of the maze's walls as she detailed everything she knew about the building. "This is a relatively simple structure. The core is powering the whole building, and if you look there," she pointed as she spoke to a gem-made river flowing along their path, about three feet deep and two across. This water eventually flowed under a wall, into what Ruby could only presume was another room. “These ducts crisscross throughout the building. They probably lead to mixing chambers, where minerals are carried from room to room to be processed mechanically. The whole system is very delicate: if we can cut the power source, it won’t take long for everything to degrade beyond repair.”

Due to the maze-like structure, the team needed Sapphire’s help to travel quickly. Navigating with Future Vision proved to be very difficult. Occasionally the ground itself would shake, a casualty of the fighting above. Homeworld protected it’s Kindergartens with both warriors and devastating weapons; with the sheer power both friend and foe had, the fighting was loud, which did little to help the singer focus. Sapphire would also have to look multiple steps ahead to make sure they didn't end up at a dead end - or even worse, a trap.   Luckily, the team was patient with her, and though they had to stop and wait for her input multiple times they were able to locate the generator.

Pearl and Rose began to inspect it, discussing amongst themselves the best way to get rid of it. Ruby wished they'd hurry up; the place creeped her out.

In the middle of their conversation, Sapphire gasped - never a good sign. At the noise, Rose took the device they had been inspecting carefully and smashed it to the ground - a quick solution to a complicated problem.

“We need to get out of here,” Sapphire exclaimed. “This place is a maze, and they know all the routes. They'll find us.”

The singer didn't need to elaborate: if she said they needed to run, then the group was going to book it. The four turned a corner, but Rose, ever at the helm, deflected a blow with her shield before lashing out with her sword. A bright glow of a fighter retreating into her gem lit the dim hall; only to fade and reveal Jasper standing behind the fallen warrior.

Jasper kicked the gem roughly to the side. It made a sharp clink as it moved, and Sapphire felt her palm ache out of sympathy.

“Look who it is! I heard your army was messing with my operations, but I didn’t expect you to have come in here yourself! That takes some real courage.”

“I would never ask my warriors to do a job I wouldn't be willing to do myself," Rose replied, still standing in front of the other three to shield them.

Sapphire, hidden behind Rose's larger frame, did her best to get the attention of the others without making it obvious to Jasper. Ruby squeezed her hand lightly in reply, unsure of what she was looking for but remaining alert for any sudden movements.

Jasper grinned, a smile as honest as it was terrifying. “I like your attitude! You’re not afraid to fight, and your strategy is sound. Your gems are giving mine a hard time up there. It was a nice try; too bad I’m always one step ahead.”

The orange-yellow gem shrugged, eyes closed and arms wide apart. Sapphire used this moment to launched herself at Jasper’s knee. Too fast to see, she plunged spiked knuckledusters deep into it before Jasper could react to the blue gem’s movement. It would only imbalance their enemy for a second - she could reform the knee - but as she sunk to the ground Ruby grabbed ahold of Jasper’s face, electrocuting it while she did her best effort to hang on and block Jasper’s view.

Several more of Jasper’s gems had turned into the hallway at this time, and they engaged in combat with Rose and Pearl. To Sapphire’s dismay, she was unable to reach them:  Jasper’s helmet had effectively pushed Ruby off of her head, and the two small gems were now cut off from the rest of their team, the hulking gem taking up the majority of the hall between them. And she was _mad_ , her gaze pointed at the two, even as Rose fought behind her.

The end of the hall on their side was a dead end, one of the false halls of the maze. Sapphire grabbed Ruby regardless and sped down it. As with many of the chambers, there was a small water channel, and it cut through the wall. The singer dove into it and slipped through this opening, a tight fit but managable. She pulled Ruby with her.

They had hit one of the filtration and processing rooms. The entrance to the room had caved in, likely from the combat above.  Ruby lifted and shoved one of the larger pieces of rubble into the water channel’s opening, hoping that would deter Jasper from shapeshifting to fit.

It didn't seem to matter much; Jasper was interested in a more direct route, punching at the wall between them.

Ruby tried clearing away the exit without success, and began pacing the room.

Sapphire held out her hand to the fighter, the only thing she could think of doing.

The red gem stopped pacing, staring at her hand blankly before it clicked. “Are you kidding me!?” She yelled over the sound of the wall slowly giving way. “I couldn't do it last time! We don’t even know if it’ll work out okay!”

The singer pulled Ruby close, kissing at her face to try to calm the fighter. The noise was making Sapphire nervous too, and she did the only thing she could think of to distract herself:

“Shhh. Listen.”

Sapphire began singing, trying to keep the tone upbeat as she coaxed Ruby to dance, focusing as much as she could on staying on key to drown out the the banging on the wall. Just as the act of singing calmed Sapphire, the act of hearing it seems to cut through Ruby’s nervousness, though her face still wore a look of panic.

It was more than just the song. It was the buzz of energy the two emanated: Sapphire's steady pulse, Ruby’s erratic but powerful beat; both dancers lost themselves in the closeness of it, the music the binding force between the them.

So caught up in the movement, neither noticed at first when two became one.

 

 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kind comments!

The first thing one noticed was the incomprehensible calm. Her hands were steady, mind clear. She could handle anything if she tread carefully.

The first thing the other noticed was the incredible determination. As before, she felt fast: but that speed was coupled with a more exact goal; there was no use dwelling on potentials when they could slip from your fingers. Action was key.

The future did not plague her: her thoughts were swift but focused, and she knew that if the future didn’t look bright, she could take it into her own hands and correct it.

The second thing that both became aware of was just how _tall_ they were. Caught up in the strangeness of it all, they - she, really - only then noticed that energy was being drawn from both gem sources, intermingling and blurring where one began and the other ended. She looked at both of her hands.

Two, one on each palm. She pressed her hands together, feeling the gems barely touch.

But then the banging at the wall came back to her, and she remembered where she was, what was happening. The mission had been a success, but they weren’t finished yet.

They needed to get out; and most importantly, Rose needed to be safe.

The wall crumbled in front of her and Jasper burst through. The opponent's rage was replaced with bewilderment, but only momentarily before she began an attack on the fusion.

The fusion’s Sight foretold a clean block, but when she moved her hand to retaliate, the motion was jerky and unrefined. This new form, with it’s long limbs and the merger of two minds, was so different than before that it was difficult to control. Because of this, the fusion ate Jasper’s full punch and she was whipped back into the machines behind her; they crumpled from the force.

Seeing the destruction of one of the Kindergarten’s main units seemed to snap Jasper out of her rage. Her face shifted and the fusion swore she could see panic on the enemy's face; the orange-yellow gem turned around in a hurry, presumably to check on the generator.

No longer under attack, the fusion lifted herself from the wreckage.

_What am I...or we…_

“Sapphire…?”

“We did it!”

It was disorienting, the two voices fighting to speak. The part of the fusion that was both and neither willed the two to focus, and with that the voices quieted.

“Rose,” the fusion spoke: her own voice, her own self.

She ran through the broken wall, feet clumsy but becoming less so with each step. With her new height, the corridors felt even more constricting. She found Rose surrounded by several warriors, slicing and defending with the leader's usual efficiency. Pearl was at Rose’s back, complimenting their leader’s style by manipulating the enemies’ movements. Though the Council-members held their own, being attacked from all sides meant they wouldn’t be able to keep up forever.

The fusion did not pause to discover paths, as Sapphire would have. Nor did she jump in headfirst, as Ruby’s strategy was. Instead, the fighter’s fast-paced mind flipped effortlessly through options, and the singer’s calm nature allowed her to parse through without worry. As she ran, she locked into the best plan of attack her Future Vision could find in that short time and struck - if it went wrong, she could figure it out later.

She tore through the crowd of enemies, movements still sloppy but with a swiftness and power she had never felt before. With the warriors caught off guard, the fusion was able to open a path through the circle. Rose and Pearl moved through this opening so that they were no longer surrounded. The pink gem did not eye the fusion with suspicion, but her assistant did; Pearl kept  herself firmly between the fusion and her leader as they fought.

With a third fighter, the hall didn’t take long to clear. Once the dust settled, the fusion turned to the rest of the Council.

“Rose, are you alright?” She asked. Though her voice held the fighter’s intensity, the emotions sat compressed in her throat.

“I am,” Rose confirmed.

Pearl voiced her concerns to their leader. “Rose, do you know this…”

“Can’t you tell, Pearl? Look at her.”

Pearl took a long look at the fusion, confusion heavy on her face.

“Pearl, it’s us; me.”

The same notes that Ruby cherished triggered in Pearl’s ears: it wasn’t the blue gem’s voice, but Sapphire’s lilt was unmistakable. The assistant's face lit with surprise: she hadn’t fully expected the singer to survive Jasper’s chase. She ran to the singer, arms out and ready to lift Sapphire in them as she had done countless times before. She slowed as she approached the fusion, realizing that in this form it would be impossible.

“Well, Sapphire, I’m glad you’re okay.” She said as she settled on locking arms with the fusion instead. “Ruby, too; it must be Ruby, right? You two look perfect, it’s to be expected, really…”

The fusion nodded.

“Garnet,” the fusion replied, thoughts and identity still unclear. She stuttered a bit as she tried to find the words, Ruby’s habit still in her. “W...We’re Garnet. I’m Garnet.”

Rose looked as if she was about to reply, but there was was a yell of anguish from within the maze.

"Jasper!"

Garnet’s Sight was more sensitive than Sapphire’s; the yelling alone triggered it. She did her best to analyse what it told her: "She’s found our handiwork. If we're caught in these halls we'll be overrun. Let's go! Our job here is done."

The group ran, cutting down the occasional gem. In her haste, Garnet missed a trap, something Sapphire would have never done. But like lightning, she adapted to the new scenario; pushing Pearl out of the way and grabbing the trap’s blade with her hands: gauntlets now, sturdier than the fighter's gloves and studded to get the extra bite the singer's knuckledusters provided.

Eventually, they made it out. When they emerged from the dusty maze, they were greeted by Rose's Gems. The Kindergarten was destroyed, the mission a success. Rose called for a mass retreat before Homeworld could investigate the trouble: Jasper would undoubtedly be reporting that the rogue Brigade had joined forces with Rose Quartz.

 

***

 

As they walked back, Pearl began to worry about the fusion. It was strange that Ruby and Sapphire hadn't separated yet: the battle was over.

"Garnet," she pleaded, the name still unfamiliar on her tongue. "You are aware of the consequences of long-term fusion, correct? Stay for too long, and the created entity begins to forms it’s own thoughts: the fusion may even want to remain fused."

Garnet frowned. She _did_ want to remain, but Pearl said it as if it was a bad thing. She ran her fingers across her palms. Ruby and Sapphire didn't seem to mind either; it wasn't as if Garnet was blocking them out.

Pearl looked worried, however, and Sapphire felt guilty, so the two gems complied. Unfusing was simple, but while the act of fusing had bothered Ruby before, the act of _unfusing_  was worse:  losing each other meant the couple's diffidence returned, and with it Sapphire's hesitance, Ruby's anxiety. Neither gem spoke to the other as they returned to the Spire.

Back at the base, the army celebrated. This was a rare event for the bulk of the troops. Homeworld did not celebrate victories outside of the Authority's closest members; most warriors had no time for partying.

The Council spent time detailing the struggle inside the maze to curious gems. Ruby was initially quiet, still unsure of what to say, but as the crowd grew so did her enthusiasm. Soon she was wrapped up in the story, detailing every turn of the maze.

Rose listened quietly to her story, while Pearl corrected Ruby's facts and Sapphire occasionally added in a missed detail.

"So we were trapped! But then Sapphire started singing, and you've all heard her, she's so, so good; and suddenly the ceiling was right here!" Ruby hovered her hand above her head. "It was amazing, like I was me but not; I kind of wish I was still Garnet!"

At these words, the crowd bristled slightly. Ruby realized she had said too much and instantly stopped talking: this allowed Pearl to pick up the slack and continue the story. The fighter kept her head down, afraid to see the singer’s reaction to her words.

Rose noticed Ruby's embarrassment and motioned for her to follow her to a quieter portion of the Spire.

Once they were out of the crowds, Rose knelt down in front of the smaller gem.

"Did you mean that?"

"N...no!” The fighter yelled before looking Rose in the eyes; she felt miserable lying to her and she tried her best to correct it. “Okay, well...yeah, it was nice; being so close to Sapphire." The fighter responded, her voice trailing to an inaudible level as she finished her sentence, ashamed to be so closely attached to another gem.

“I’m not angry with you, Ruby. I just want you to understand why they reacted that way. When fused for too long, the fusion can begin to take over the physical form. Do you understand that?"

"That's what Pearl said, but Garnet didn't seem mean. She liked us, because she  _is_ us, I mean..." Ruby dropped her head in her hands: she couldn't tell what Garnet was, just that she wanted to experience being her again. “I’ve just never felt so right before,” the fighter admitted, lacing her fingers together to try to explain the feeling.

Rose nodded. "Garnet seems to be a very powerful fighter. We could use her in battle, as long as Sapphire agrees to it.” The pink gem patted Ruby on the head before standing. “And fighting aside, you should do what makes the two of you the happiest."

“Now, let’s get back to celebrating!” Rose exclaimed as she clapped her hands.

 

***

 

Ruby followed Rose back to the celebration. While the rest of the army enjoyed themselves, or at least tried to learn how, Ruby and Sapphire sat quietly in the Spire's halls.

“Sorry for being weird in front of everyone,” the fighter apologized after several uncomfortable moments of silence. “It’s just that it was…”

"Incredible," Sapphire finished, her voice almost dreamlike; reliving the experience in her memory. “You don’t need to apologize; I can’t stop thinking about it either.”

"Yeah...I felt like we were unstoppable."

Sapphire mused over what Ruby had said from before their mission. "And fused, we don't have to worry about being separated during battles. ‘The two of us, we’re stronger together’,” the singer repeated the fighter’s words.

Ruby’s smile grew at Sapphire’s statement, glad the blue gem had remembered and that she felt the same way about fusing.

“Hey!” The red gem jumped from her spot, gearing up for the door. “Let's go have fun!"

Sapphire cheerfully agreed, and the two left their apprehension in the halls.


	9. Chapter 9

The couple took Rose's advice. Though they only fused for battle, they always arrived prepared: they couldn't be separated if they were literally together.

With the Crystal Gems' numbers, they succeeded in wrecking several other large Kindergarten hubs. This was a heavy blow to Homeworld's efforts, as the Kindergartens on Earth were one of the main reasons they had set foot there. Through one of their secret weapons - Rose’s Fountain - they were able to get back on their feet and return for more with a speed that startled Homeworld’s forces.

With these battles, the Council became closer. This was so much so that Pearl and Ruby learned to enjoy each other's company, even if Ruby was 'too loud' and Pearl was always 'griping about everything'.

It was after another successful Kindergarten mission that Ruby and Sapphire sat to relax. While discussing their shared tactics and decisions they had made as Garnet, their room’s holoboard burst to life.

Typically, Pearl would appear in the boards display. This did not happen. Instead, Jasper's smirk emerged from the screen.

"Glad to see our technicians can do their jobs! I've been instructed to deliver a message, Rose Quartz. We're all coming for you. Be glad we didn't show up unannounced." After this, the screen blinked off, leaving the two occupants stunned.

After this, the gems no longer knew rest. Blue and White Diamond arrived first, and Rose did her best to move the fighting from one discrete location to another. Luckily, Rose's army was large and in sync, and in both cases the Crystal Gems were able to win these attacks and lock the two Diamonds into magical devices. This did, however, put in a dent in their own forces.

With the capture and containment of two of the three Diamonds, it was only Yellow Diamond that remained. Rose could tell the Authority's forces were running out of steam as well, and reports from Homeworld showed that the Authority's system had fallen to ruin. The destruction of the Crystal Gems was likely Yellow Diamond’s last hope of regaining control over its civilians.

Though Garnet knew that the fight could go either way, there was something bothering her; something she was missing in her Future Vision. But she couldn't place it, and Homeworld's forces had already begun their attack, so she kept it in the back of her mind; just in case the future became clearer.

 

***

 

As the singer’s Sight had anticipated, Yellow Diamond herself eventually appeared on the Crystal Gem’s holoboards.

"Well done, Rose Quartz," the Authority member spoke coolly, saying Rose's chosen name with malice. "Let's settle this with one more battle, shall we? My own sword against yours."

Rose turned to Sapphire, who nodded in approval.

"We accept, but under my own terms," the leader replied. "I'm sending you the coordinates for where our war will be held."

After the location was sent, Rose's troops assembled at this battlefield: full of mild hills but otherwise mostly flat; though with enough vegetation for Rose set traps for Homeworld. Rose and Pearl seemed to be having a deep conversation, and Ruby and Sapphire thought it'd be best to stay out of it.

"So...that's it? If we win, we win for good?" Ruby asked Sapphire hesitantly, knowing that she disliked others asking about her Future Vision: Ruby caught glimpses when she was fused with her, but Sapphire was the one who was experienced in interpreting the results. While speaking, the fighter sat firmly against her partner. With all of the battles that had been waged, and thus with the amount of time they spent as Garnet, it was beginning to feel very strange if she couldn't sense Sapphire's steady pulse nearby.

Sapphire didn't mind the question, or the closeness. "Yes. Yellow Diamond feels the only way she can take back control of Homeworld is by crushing Rose herself. If we win, or if she retreats, Homeworld will finally leave this planet alone. The shame of defeat would look too bad for her, so  she'll want Homeworld to be oblivious to her loss. Something...something is wrong, though. I just can't place what it is..."

While she spoke, Ruby had nearly attached herself to Sapphire; no one was bothered by the two gem's affections anymore, having seen what Garnet could do. Sapphire held the fighter close, watching Rose and Pearl speak. The assistant was kneeling, and Rose looked upset: likely at more than just Pearl’s words.

 _Rose knows something is wrong too,_ Sapphire thought. _But this is our only chance of wrecking the Authority and having Homeworld leave this planet alone. We’ve got to go through with it._

There was a rumble in the distance. Sapphire and Ruby glanced at each other before seamlessly fusing: the two had grown so accustomed to it that it required nearly nothing but the will to fuse; another rarity for the pair. The fusion ran to their leader.

"Rose!" Garnet yelled to her. "They've landed."

Pearl stood, brushing off her knee while the the situation finally began to sink in.

"Yellow Diamond is the only reason they fight," Garnet reported to Rose. "Remove her, and the others will have no reason to continue."

"Can you get us there?"

Garnet smiled. "Sure can."

Rose Quartz's forces had been arranged in a way where they had anticipated being surrounded on all sides. Their guess was correct, and they were ready: no one was caught off guard.

The group ran with Garnet, who tried to detail everything she knew between throwing punches at enemy warriors. "We can't kill her, she'd rather back out if she’s about to lose. But if we wound her ego,” Garnet paused, dodging a flail before grabbing and breaking it over her knee; and then doing the same to the weapon’s owner. “She'll want nothing to do with this place anymore. Two of the Diamonds are gone: Homeworld is her’s now. She'll write us off as eradicated back home and cut off our communication channels, marking the planet as unfit for harvest and neatly striking us from history."

"And if she wins?" Pearl asked as she twirled her spear into an unsuspecting gem.

"Doesn't matter. I won't let her," Garnet remarked as she smashed two soldier's faces together, a breeze catching the dust from one of the two's fractured forehead gems.

That was the most unsettling part of the battlefield for the Council, as well as the other Crystal Gems. Their past fights had been in smaller enclosed areas. Here, with the battlefield's wide space and the nearly endless amounts of combatants, everything was open. It reminded Garnet's two halves of when they served for Homeworld: lingering magic from the fallen seeping into the air, their forms caked with colorful shards and crushed gemstone.

As they ran, a monstrous gem - under Homeworld and taller than any Garnet had ever seen - fell backwards towards the group. Rose caught the motion just in time, slicing through the gems back before she could fall into them. The huge gem’s physical form blinked out, splitting into two smaller gemstones. She had been fighting another massive gem - this one was two of their own fused, and she wielded a giant ax in one of her four hands. The Crystal Gem nodded in thanks to Rose before advancing back into the fray.

"That was a fusion that almost fell on us!" Pearl yelled. "Homeworld is using fusions! Those hypocrites!"

"Too bad they know nothing about them," Garnet muttered under her breath.

Fighting the whole way, it took ages to get even close to Yellow Diamond. It didn't help that, as Rose was the target, Homeworld's warriors practically threw themselves at Rose wherever they went. Garnet began to worry that the group wouldn't have the strength by the time they found Yellow Diamond, but fellow Crystal Gems were always there to help. So they persevered, and as they fought Garnet’s battlecry carried across the fields: her song and and fire forming an unyielding resonance that vibrated through the expanse.

As the fusion had promised, they reached Yellow Diamond. She stood near her ship, and was surrounded by a sizable amount of her gems. At the front of the mass was Jasper.

“Back again?” The orange-yellow gem spoke directly at the fusion. “Didn’t know you were a glutton for punishment.”

Garnet choose to respond with her fists, and moved in to attack Jasper.

The two gems locked hand in hand, trying to grapple the other to the ground. The fusion dodged Jasper’s headbutt before breaking away. Jasper needed more reach, so she aimed a punch at the fusion - but this time Garnet was ready. The fusion retaliated by slamming her face with her own punch: it held so much force that it cracked Jasper's gem, just a hairline fracture but enough to strike fear into Jasper’s eyes. The injured gem has no choice but to fall back.

"Told you I had her,” Garnet said to everyone, including herself. “Just needed some help was all."

While Rose’s two closest held off the grunts, Rose took on Yellow Diamond. They were equal in their swordsmanship: Rose’s sword and shield combination lent itself to slower, more powerful attacks, while Yellow Diamond was able to get a flurry of smaller hits in with her speed and rapier. Though evenly matched, it was Yellow Diamond that tired first. Rose stood, sword pointed at the last Authority member. In her other hand was the magical device they used to capture injured gems.

Yellow Diamond assessed the situation before slowly backing up into her ship, her crew filing in with her. She gave Rose the signal for surrender, the same motion Rose had given the Authority so long ago. In the distance, gems still fought, unaware of the change. Garnet tried to chase, but as she expected, too many of Homeworld’s warriors stood in her way.

The ship rose and blinked out of existence.

"She left...she left!" Pearl screeched. "It's over!"

As Yellow Diamond's ship left, Garnet's mind snapped through all of the Vision fragments from before: and then that nagging worry from before suddenly made sense.

"Get down!"

Garnet pulled Rose and Pearl to the ground, and Rose pulled her shield over them all, extending it as far as it would go to cover them and reach the dirt.

The world shook around them as an unfathomable noise tore through the battlefield, emanating from where the ship once sat. The force cut through Garnet, vibrating through her teeth and threatening to pull her apart. As soon as it began, the roaring crescendo ended.

Everything was quiet.


	10. Chapter 10

When Rose felt it was okay, she removed her shield. The three gems remained low to the ground.

It was silent.

No battles were being waged, no gems stood. For miles, the field was flat and motionless.

Garnet rose first, sensing it was safe. The other two followed.

The wind, unhindered by any obstacles, whipped around the three remaining Crystal Gems. The air was heavy with magic and gem particles; a rainbowed-reminder of what had happened.

“A trap,” Pearl coughed out, clearing her mouth of dust. “She used her own gems to lure us here, and then using that...that thing, she...”

The assistant looked down before reaching out for Garnet's arm. "Everyone's gone," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Garnet nodded. “She knew we’d bring our full force to fight,” the fusion paused as she spoke. Though both halves of her were shaken, Sapphire was in anguish; she felt it was her fault that she hadn't seen this trap. The fusion took a moment to squash the rising emotions before continuing. “She didn't know Rose’s shield would protect us.”

Rose’s expression was somber. She placed a hand on each of her gem’s shoulders.

“Good job, Gems,” Rose said, her voice even. “Let’s go back and see if Pearl can intercept Yellow Diamond’s messages.”

As they walked back, Garnet searched for any gems that were whole enough to repair at Rose's fountain. Though her expression was even, inside she was a whirlwind of conflict. Ruby could barely handle the level of destruction in front of her, and Sapphire couldn't help but feel responsible. Alone, neither gem could have continued forward, and Garnet had to do everything she could to keep moving, feeling lost without either gem's input.

In the dirt, Garnet finally spotted one. The fusion’s form nearly shifted apart; both of her halves reacted frantically to the sight, and the spike in emotions was overwhelming. While the fusion tried to stabilize herself, Pearl reached the gem first. The light green stone was barely visible to the assistant through her tears, and she lifted it up before Garnet was able to warn her otherwise.

The green gem glowed and shifted, reacting to Pearl's touch. It was far too damaged to regenerate, but it grew regardless - and kept growing until it towered over the other gems. Pearl ran back from the monster; and that's what it was, not a gem by any means. It's body was long and segmented, with an uncountable amount of pointed, thin legs holding it above the ground. It raised its upper half into the air and let out a shriek, it's mouth full of long, needle-like teeth, before landing back down in front of the Crystal Gems with a crash; it's many eyeless sockets devoid of life as it stared them down.

This development pulled the last of the energy out of all three of the gems: they were exhausted, and it made the monster's appearance more than unwelcome. "She's corrupted!" Rose yelled out. "Whatever they did, it's altered her gem!"

It was Pearl who responded to the beast, wholly in frustration. She ran, spear ready and screaming, her form keeping its natural elegance while stripping away the false front she usually wore, her movements as powerful as they were graceful. She hated this place, hated the endless battles, hated those who threatened to separate her and Rose - the true reason she was on this wretched mound of dirt to begin with. She climbed the creature, dodging it's attempts to bite her off, and then hacked and stabbed at the monster's back where it's gem resided.

The gem, shards now, faded away. With it, so did Pearl's platform. The two expected the assistant to jump from the monster's back, but she instead fell gracelessly from the spot. Garnet ran and caught her, Pearl's smaller form fitting neatly into her arms. While Garnet held onto the lanky gem, Rose caught signs of reactivation from the shards. She encased them in a bubble, a far simpler version of the containment devices used to hold the two Diamonds captive, and sent it back to the Spire.

With Pearl on hand - quiet and motionless - Rose and Garnet walked quietly back to the warp.

 

***

 

Back at the Spire, the three gems huddled close around Pearl's holoboard. They had waited for the assistant to recover before asking that she break into Homeworld's broadcast, but when she was ready to she plugged in with anger and determination in her eyes. It didn't take Pearl long, and the three watched the video feed while her hands remained plunged into the board's system.

"Rose Quartz has been crushed by my own hands," Yellow Diamond spoke from the feed, the display shaky due to Homeworld's technicians blocking their signals. "Regrettably, with the damage this has caused to our glorious army, as well as to the balance of our Authority, we will need time to recuperate. At this time, the planet 573 - “Earth" - has been dropped until further notice. We will be moving on to more profitable ventures.  The conquest was Blue Diamond's plan, and when my own troops surveyed the planet we found that it's resources were sorely lacking compared to her initial reports."

Rose hugged the two close. "We did it," she said softly. "This planet is safe."

It felt far removed from victory.

 

***

 

Back in their room, they unfused. Sapphire moved to their couch, wordless, while Ruby sunk to the floor. Even in misery the fighter couldn't stay still for long, and she soon began to alternate between pacing and rubbing at her face, leaning on the wall, or sitting down again; her mouth spitting uncontrollable noises of sadness and frustration the whole while.

Though lost in her panic - all of the emotion that had been previously held back by the fusion and balanced by Sapphire rushing in - a sound punctured through her, just as it always did; but this time without it's comforting tone.

Sapphire was sobbing.

Though she tried her best to shield her face, the singer's body language betrayed her: overwhelmed by stress, she was doubled over, head in her hands and shaking. Ruby forgot her own grief and rushed to the blue gem, remembering the pain she had felt when they had shared a physical form.

"Hey, wait, don't-" the fighter stammered out, unsure of what to say. The red gem took a moment to clear her own face of tears and drew in a loud, deep, and shaky breath to try to steady herself.

Sapphire felt the fighter fall into the couch next to her, and then the touch of Ruby's hands slowly easing her sideways into an embrace. The singer didn't pull out of her position and instead leaned further, resting her head on the other's lap.

"Don't blame yourself," Ruby murmured as she held Sapphire. "I know you are; I felt it before, when we were Garnet." Ruby didn't know what to do - she knew the singer felt awful, but didn't think her own typical methods of coping would work out for the singer.

But Sapphire's singing had always calmed Ruby down. The fighter knew she wasn't good at it herself, but she wanted Sapphire to be happy. And so Ruby did the only thing she could think of doing, mimicking the first song she had heard clearly in the cave - tried to, at least, her voice quickly falling back into it's raspy nature whenever she tried to deflect it.

First, Sapphire's crying calmed, focused on listening to the fighter's voice. She soon joined in, much quieter than usual. But then Ruby's voice went wildly off pitch, and the singer's face broke into a huge grin despite herself.

Ruby immediately stopped; embarrassed and questioning why she had even started singing to begin with, until Sapphire rose up and touched the fighter's face. "Don't stop," she requested, smile wide and eyes shining from behind her hair.

The fighter shook her head. "It's bad, I can't..."

Sapphire shook her own in response. "It's perfect," she said, brushing her fingers across the fighter's lips. "It's perfect, because there is so much of you within it."

At first Ruby was hesitant, but when she started the song again she saw how much happier Sapphire looked, and this filled her with confidence. The two sang together until neither wanted to continue, and with the pause came the memories of earlier on.

"It feels like I've failed," Sapphire admitted, breaking the pause. The interaction with her companion had help stifle her pain, but not her guilt. "There's nothing we could do to ever bring them back."

"You didn't! _Garnet_ couldn't even tell what was going to happen. And remember? Our mission: Rose wanted us to protect this place and keep the humans safe. They needed you, and you helped saved them!

“And...I need you," the fighter's voice cracked as she spoke. "If it had gotten you too, I..." Ruby squeezed her eyes shut; as usual, her mind and mouth were running faster than she wanted it to, and she did her best to stop that train of thought before it continued.

"...Homeworld is leaving us alone. I can't imagine anything on this planet giving us that much trouble ever again," Sapphire proposed as she ran her thumb across the fighter's hand, trying to comfort her.

Ruby smiled weakly. "Yeah, it's just a bunch of squishy animals and weird weather now."

“Right,” the singer responded, kissing the fighter gently. "I'm glad you're here, Ruby."

The red gem pulled the singer into a tight hug, thankful that they were both okay.

 

***

 

While the couple had been talking, Rose and Pearl had surveyed the battlefield, and Ruby and Sapphire had been called back into the meeting room. They had fused again: it was easier to handle their loss this way. Neither of the other gems made a fuss over it.

"The weapon they used: the type of impact seems to have damaged the remaining gems in a way I’ve never seen before," Pearl reported. "When we went to recover more of them, they seemed to have moved; activated on their own. And if we don't bubble them, they come back."

"They're a threat to this planet; our planet," Rose explained. "This is our home now. We need to contain them, and then find a way to undo this corruption."

Garnet nodded. Even with all of the sadness that the war had brought, it had chosen to leave her with her two closest.

"We'll handle this just like everything else." Garnet took the Gems' hands: her left sat in Rose's, her right held Pearl's.

"Together."

 

***

 

Time passed. It always does, whether it's passengers want it to or not.

It brought with it an addition to their group, and then a devastating loss. But with that loss came another unique individual, both the product of their past and current homes.

Though the singer and fighter did not know it at the time, this young child, both boy and gem, made the two realize that every future - for better or worse - had a way of working itself out. Even if the tide surged forward, it would also retreat; and with that, there were times of peace.

And no matter where the paths ultimately turned, Ruby and Sapphire had each other.

They'd fight forever to keep it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, it was fun to write.
> 
> Looking forward to StevenBomb 2!


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